Seán Kyne
Galway West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“Yes, there will be public engagement later today and again tomorrow. Residents in the Shantalla area hope to be able to pop in there tomorrow as well, and councillors will be engaging. I will certainly pass on the Minister's strong view on pushing on with a decision on the transfer of land in relation to the helipad project.”
“I thank the Minister for that response. Certainly, the appointment of the design team is hugely welcome and a positive step. She will be aware of the Mater Hospital during the Covid pandemic and the 98-bed block that was built in two years. These things can be done where there is urgency.”
“In University Hospital Galway over recent years we have seen investment in a 75-bed en suite ward, a temporary emergency department and the new radiation oncology building, but so much more is needed.”
“Both blocks A and B are primarily bed-based accommodation, supported by well-established HSE guidance and standard approval layouts. Considering the loss of a number of years in Galway, would the Minister see merit in engaging with the Department of public expenditure and reform on fast-tracking these design stages?”
“De réir MARA, má tá daoine ag baint agus ag bailiú feamainne le haghaidh úsáid tráchtála, nó méid mór le haghaidh úsáid pearsanta, ní mór dóibh iarratas a dhéanamh ar cheadúnas úsáide ó MARA. Tá na rudaí seo fíorthábhachtach. Níl sé soiléir céard atá ag teastáil ó bhainteoirí feamainne.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I welcome the fact that he expects the MPPS to be brought to the Government in the coming weeks. May I assume, therefore, that MARA is not granting licences pending the MPPS? Is that in abeyance? Is there a formal process?”
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Every one of 1,542 lines we hold for Seán Kyne, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 31.
“Senator Andrews spoke about Dublin City Council, AHBs, HAP tenants and the ongoing maintenance concerns he has with regard to particular flat complexes. He might submit a question to the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, about the liaison he and the Department have had with Dublin City Council on these issues. Senators Cosgrove and Higgins raised the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026. I have to disagree with them on how we dealt with the Bill last week. I do not believe progress was being made. There was filibustering on three amendments, which only called for reports. We spent three hours talking about them. We only managed a vote on one amendment. We could have made a lot more progress and we could have had better use of time.”
“The Senator might be able to check with the local authority whether there was a maintenance programme for the pier in question. He is right to stress the importance of routine cleaning and maintenance of piers and slipways. He also spoke about the service level agreement between local authorities and contractors for this type of work. Senator Boyle called for a vascular team to be established in Letterkenny because renal patients awaiting dialysis have to go to Galway for simple initiatives, such as putting in lines and so forth. I ask the Senator to put down a Commencement matter with the Minister to get a more direct response from the Department of Health on the plans it has for the provision of dialysis and renal teams in Letterkenny.”
“After a meeting of Government leaders last night, it was agreed that all schools reviewed by the NCSE and allocated additional resources will receive them in the coming year. I will request a debate with the Minister and the Minister of State on this matter as soon as possible. Senator Flynn also raised the issue of road safety. She highlighted people wearing black clothes – I see it too - when they are walking, cycling or on scooters. I acknowledge that. Senator Duffy raised his concerns about a recent tragedy at a harbour in Mayo. He called for the proper maintenance of piers and harbours. There is a scheme under the fisheries investment fund for local authorities to apply to the Department of the marine for funding for safety measures at piers.”
“Senator Harmon raised housing supports for renters and the fact that rents are increasing. She called for a debate regarding winter supports and the student accommodation strategy. I will request a debate with the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, on those matters. Senator Flaherty called for a debate on SNAs. He acknowledged the work across the Government, including that of the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, to change the stance on this. The letters, as we know, were sent out by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. The Minister and the Minister of State have confirmed there will be no reduction in the number of special needs assistants for the next school year.”
“She also called for a debate on eating disorders as it is eating disorder awareness week, in the context of the doubling in the number of admissions to hospitals for eating disorders in 2025, particularly among those aged between 12 and 25. Senator Nelson Murray, joined by Senators Flaherty and Joe Conway, raised the shocking tragedies on our roads over the weekend in which seven people died across the island. She mentioned Mia Lily Keogh O’Keeffe who was killed in a hit-and-run incident in her town. She highlighted a number of areas or initiatives that could be brought forward. Fine Gael had a Private Members’ debate on this matter last week. As the Senator said, little did we know that there would be such tragedy subsequent to that debate. It is something that certainly needs to be kept on the agenda going forward.”
“The motion proposes: That Seanad Éireann: - reaffirms its support for Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of the Russian Federation’s illegal invasion and calls on the Government to do as much as possible to maximise Ireland’s role in renewing international efforts to secure a just and lasting peace based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Senator O’Loughlin raised the Chinese New Year and the fact it is the Year of the Horse. She also raised the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Horse Racing Ireland statistics on the importance of horse racing and training, the sport horse and the whole industry to the Irish economy. I acknowledge that.”
“Go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh. I thank all Senators for their contributions. We started with Senator O'Loughlin, who welcomed the ambassador from Ukraine, condemned the ongoing invasion and acknowledged the four-year anniversary. She was joined by Senators Murphy, McCarthy, Craughwell, Clonan, Higgins and Conway in raising the matter of Ukraine. Senator McCarthy talked about the resilience of the Ukrainian people and asked that No. 58, motion No. 1, be taken before No. 1 and I am happy to support that.”
“3, Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 7 p.m. and to adjourn at 9 p.m., if not previously concluded.”
“I welcome both ambassadors to the Chamber. You are very welcome. The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on bluetongue, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude at 5.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed six minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, time can be shared and the Minister to be given no less than six minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, statements on the national volunteering strategy, to be taken at 5.45 p.m. and conclude at 7 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, time may be shared and the Minister to be given no less than seven minutes to reply to the debate; and No.”
“I move: That, pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to her.””
“I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or the Order of the House today, the proceedings on No. 1 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 3 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair, which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by Government.”
“In Galway, it has been great to see a move over the past decade to the use of blacktop, which is more durable and better lasting than ordinary tar and chip.”
“I take the Senator's word about the level of investment involved. Obviously, there are differences in relation to national roads funding, local roads funding, the various safety measures and the different schemes. There are seven or eight different lists in relation to specific grants that councils receive. I do not have all the figures, but I will request a debate with the Minister for Transport on the issue of roads funding. As I have said for years, there was never enough roads funding during my time as a local councillor and there never has been since. There is always a need for more funding for roads. There is nothing worse than seeing a freshly laid road developing potholes as soon as it comes into use.”
“I know the matter was brought up here during the debate on the Mental Health Bill. I am not sure what the Minister of State’s plans are in relation to the Report Stage debate as to whether there will be any changes made in terms of the issue of dual diagnosis. Senator Sarah O’Reilly raised concerns about special needs places in a school in Castleblayney. I do not have the details. If the Senator tables a Commencement matter, she might get a more direct response from the Minister. It is important that all families have every chance to get places early, and they every right to do so, and that they do not go through the stress caused by both the waiting and uncertainty involved. Senator Tully referred to the roads allocation for County Cavan. I do not have the figures in front of me in respect of that matter.”
“Senator Andrews referred to Deputy Joanna Byrne, the co-chair of Drogheda United, and her being victimised, if you like, by certain elements in relation to her comments on Israel, which, as I understand it, she made in a personal capacity. I am not sure what the answer is, but I am sure that if there were a rally by her local community to show support, it would send an important message as to any suggestion that she should be removed from her position. Senator McCarthy again referred to people he has helped in his work with Tiglin and those who have a dual diagnosis. He stated that there are glaring gaps in services for those are addicted to drugs, who may have suicidal ideation as a result and who do not get help because of that. I will request a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on the issue of dual diagnosis.”
“As he knows, there are incentives to support the bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use through the croí cónaithe and town centre first schemes. The Senator spoke about the derelict sites tax and the fact that the owners of these properties have had notice for a year now to the effect that they should engage and apply to draw down grants to do up properties before the tax comes into force. It is important that this carrot-and-stick approach is being used in order to bringing these properties back to a liveable state to allow them to either sold on or leased out to people who desperately require housing.”
“Senator Conway also provided a very interesting history of the riots in the Abbey Theatre when the "The Plough and the Stars” was first put on there and the intervention by W.B. Yeats at the time. We look forward to the work of the commission on that matter. Senator Ollie Crowe referred to the new savings scheme proposal by the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance. Some €170 billion is being held on deposit in banks and financial institutions by people across the country. That money is not generating any returns, and the idea is to redirect some of it into investment. The Tánaiste is looking to bring proposals to the Government by Easter and then engage with institutions and the public thereafter before possibly making decisions in advance of the budget. I look forward to that. Senator Boyhan referred to vacant and derelict properties.”
“Senator Collins raised a similar issue in relation to wind turbines, planning applications, the impact of changes to maps and the planning guidelines for wind farms. I will request a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, on the matter. I know there has been a long-running saga when it comes to updating the wind farm guidelines. The Minister of State has been working on that matter. We all agree that it is time for updated guidelines on wind energy. Senator Conway called for a portrait of W.B. Yeats to be hung in the Houses and for Leas-Chathaoirleach, who is chair of the arts and portraits committee of the Seanad, to engage on the matter. I am sure she will take what the Senator said on board.”
“Senator Rabbitte raised the issue of a protest tomorrow morning by residents of Cregmore, Grange and Ballymoneen regarding a battery plant that was granted planning permission during the Covid-19 pandemic. She called for flexibility in the planning process to allow individuals, in this case the plant, to make submissions on the extension of the duration of planning permission. I am not sure how that complies with the present Planning and Development Act. She may wish to bring in a Private Members' Bill to make changes to the Planning and Development Act for the purpose of allowing submissions. That would obviously not have an impact on the planning application in question but would impact future applications. I wish the residents well in their protest. In many situations such as this, there are great concerns in communities.”
“I thank all Senators for their contributions. Senator Duffy raised the issue of the importance of CCTV in communities. He mentioned the complexities around GDPR. As we know, CCTV footage of identifiable individuals is considered to be personal data so a case must be made for the need to examine the data. He quite rightly talked about security, missing persons and all that goes with that. I will request a debate with the Minister on the matter. That would be worthwhile. Most people would agree. The issue around GDPR, as the Senator rightly said, is one of the relevant issues. Senator Duffy also wished St. Muredach's College well in the Connacht final. I am sure he will be there cheering them on from the sideline.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 - Committee Stage (resumed) and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 11.45 a.m.; and No. 2, motion regarding the earlier signature of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026, to be taken at the conclusion of No. 1, without debate.”
“Hence the importance of the rural link, Local Link, regular bus services and investment in bus shelters to make the transport and bus journey more attractive. Those are initiatives that could assist. In relation to technologies, people speed for a variety of reasons. It is mainly because they probably think they will not get caught. If there were initiatives and there are new technologies in relation to slowing people down, if they knew they were going to get caught at something, they are less likely to do it. Whether it is texting on a mobile phone, going at excessive speeds, drink driving and drug driving, they are all initiatives. However, if a driver does not think he or she will be caught, they can continue them. If they think they will get caught, they are more likely not to do those things.”
“God help us if there was a lad coming at 120 km/h, which they should not be, but there was going to be trouble. I do not know how they get out of houses. If there was any way of assistance being provided for houses and homeowners like that who may not have the wherewithal to make a safer exit from their own property, I ask the Minister of State to look into that. It would be a worthy investment in localities. Those are our national routes, but they could also be on regional or county roads as well. If the Department pinpointed a number of houses in a county where it could improve safety, it would be a worthy investment as well. Again, it is not all about roads. It is also about providing the alternatives to people who do not need to use cars, particularly for older people.”
“Some are regional as well like Roundstone. Again, we could do more. I am sure it is the same in the Minister of State's half of the county and in other counties and cities across the country. I ask him to look at that as well. Another point that I have not raised in the motion, but it is important, is that I have come across houses when I am knocking on doors or between elections that one would be scared to come out of in a car. I do not know how the owners come out of those houses. They are invariably pre-1963 houses. There was never planning. They just lived in them. I will paint a picture of one that I came to on the N59 near Oughterard. An old couple in their 70s came out and I could not see left or right. I got out of the car, ran out and looked at left and right to see could I see anything coming and then took a chance.”
“It is a very busy section, with a 50 km/h zone, a school at one side and an estate on the other. Again, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, has to come on board in relation to moving forward initiatives like this. They are relatively low cost but are major safety improvements for a locality. Whether it is the flashing lights or a low size speed cushion or a zebra crossing, all those things can slow down traffic as well as general traffic calming measures. I encourage the Minister of State to look proactively at some of those initiatives and engage with TII to see if it can push forward on these. There is a reluctance in some cases for it to engage in relation to pedestrian crossings on national routes. That is the feedback that I get. The majority of the places that I mentioned are national routes.”
“The fact that there are youngsters who are enjoying themselves in many cases on e-scooters and who end up having a traumatic brain injury is a very worrying thing indeed. I welcome the roads funding announced today. We have seen over the past number of years measures such as safe routes to schools, active travel initiatives and a myriad of different types of funding that will slow down traffic, such as traffic calming measures and pedestrian crossings. They are all very important. There is an opportunity now that I ask the Minister of State to explore. For example, in an area like Connemara, funding has been approved for a pedestrian crossing at Clifden on the national road. We also need them in Letterfrack and Roundstone, where I was at a meeting last night, as well as in Cornamona, Clonbur and Killannin.”
“It means that 25% of people who died were not wearing a safety belt, despite the fact that seatbelt wearing is at a very high rate with over 97%. Those are stark statistics in relation to the benefits of wearing safety belts. E-scooters have been mentioned. There have been comprehensive regulations passed on e-scooters recently. A statement from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland stated that "e-scooter accidents are now the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries ... in children admitted to the paediatric neurosurgical centre at Children’s Health Ireland, Temple Street". Again, that is something that is absolutely frightening. It should be frightening to all parents. People whiz around on e-scooters. There are regulations but are they being enforced? Are they being managed with people? Are people aware of the regulations?”
“It is increasing the safety and drivability of that road for all road users, whether it be for car users, cyclists or motorcyclists. For everybody, it is a safer driving experience. In relation to this Private Members' motion, I wish to highlight a couple of things, one being safety belts. Based on the statistics from the Road Safety Authority, RSA, and causal observing, the vast majority - over 95% - of people who are driving are wearing a safety belt. Generally, there has been a huge improvement in the past number of decades in relation to rear passenger users wearing safety belts. Yet the statistics show quite clearly from the RSA that in 2021 a quarter of drivers and passengers killed in road traffic collisions were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. That is not to say that 25% of people were not wearing a safety belt.”
“The Minister of State is welcome. I acknowledge the Government's swift decision in relation to a decision to enact legislation to ban the use of scramblers in public places in memory of Grace Lynch. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Grace's family, to her mother, Siobhán, and her siblings for their tragic loss. The Minister of State might be able to fill us in regarding what the timeline on that might be. I also acknowledge the roads funding announced today. It not just a case of people perhaps getting from A to B faster if a motorway is built but it is also a safer drive than it would be on a traditional national road. Similarly, a realignment of an existing national road will improve sight lines and overtaking opportunities.”
“I will request a debate with the Minister for education to coincide with that. I think I have covered all the issues raised today.”
“Senator Kennelly raised a paediatric dermatology consultant post in Kerry and the costs of travel and time of going to Dublin, and the pressure that that puts on services in Dublin. I ask him to put down a Commencement debate in relation to that particular issue because it is quite specific to the Department of Health. Senator McCarthy raised the requirement for the Department of Defence to approve a request from the Irish Air Corps to capture images on 12 August of a rare solar eclipse. The Minister, Deputy McEntee will be before the House next Wednesday. He may wish to raise it with her on that occasion. Senator Nelson Murray acknowledged the Meath Travellers workshop she visited with Maria Walsh MEP . I acknowledge the good work it does, especially of course in relation to Traveller Pride Week.”
“He is right of course to say the players should not be the ones who ultimately have to make a decision on this. They cannot be put under pressure on this issue. They are there to play football and need to be allowed to do that. The FAI has made its call and UEFA disagreed and did not sanction it. It is obviously in the hands of the FAI and UEFA but I certainly hope that if the game is sanctioned to go ahead, there will be no blame attached to the players. Senator Boyhan raised the issue of SNAs, which I covered, as well as the issue of the prison report for Mountjoy Prison. I asked the Minister for justice to come to the House for that debate, and also for a wider debate on prisons. He is dealing with legislation in the Dáil at the moment but I will remind him again of that report.”
“There are historical rights and there is great attachment among those harvesters to the harvesting of seaweed. I will request a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, on that matter. Senator Keogan called for a debate on hauliers and the burden on the industry due to the pressures they are experiencing. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, on that matter. Senator Maria Byrne called for people who have not availed of or applied to the pyrite resolution scheme to do so before it closes. I acknowledge her advocacy to have Limerick included in that programme as a number of houses there have been remediated. Senator Andrews raised the issue of the Nations League and that UEFA is breaking its own statutes.”
“The Marine Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, is involved in the licensing of seaweed, and former Ministers of State, Damien English and Deputy Kieran O’Donnell, did a fair amount of work in relation to this area when that section was in the Department of housing and local government. The former Minister of State, Damien English, raised the issue of putting a committee together to get best advice on this, and got advice and a judgment from the Attorney General in this regard. Where there are seaweed rights listed on a person’s folio, they are protected. There are also what are called appurtenant rights in relation to seaweed harvesting. It is a slightly complex area because some rights might not be defined, some might be part of the Land Commission or may not be available.”
“Clearly, An Coimisiún Pleanála is an independent body and she rightly calls out the cynical politics by some who are blaming the Government for this. The inspector’s report was overturned and Senator Fitzpatrick cast her ire at the Civic Trust and at architectural heritage needs being put over the needs of women and children. I certainly hope that those or similar plans can be resurrected to ensure plans at the Rotunda Hospital go ahead. Senator Boyle raised the issue of seaweed and protecting our shoreline and I am familiar with this issue in Galway, in Connemara.”
“It is a silent killer at times and people might not realise they have it until they start to feel very unwell. The Senator mentioned courses of antibiotics. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on that matter also. Senator Craughwell raised the issues of air traffic control and the boarding of shadow ships, and requested that the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien come in, as well as a debate with the Minister for Defence, Deputy McEntee. Deputy McEntee will be in the House next Wednesday for statements on defence and I will request that Deputy O’Brien come in to discuss issues of air transport. Senator Fitzpatrick shared her frustration and anger at An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision to overturn the plans for the Rotunda Hospital.”
“There were also cases where intensive care unit beds were not made available. I will request a debate on this matter. There has been a lot of investment in this area and there have been improvements. Additional people are being seen for scoliosis procedures but there has also been increased demand. I acknowledge Senator Clonan's advocacy on this matter. I will bring it to the attention of the Minister for Health. Senator Comyn paid a lovely tribute to Tony Smith from Drogheda who has passed away. His garage is 90 years in business. Our sympathies to his wife Mary, his extended family and all who knew and loved him. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. Senator Brady raised the issue of sepsis, which is a real threat. I think we all know people affected by sepsis, some of whom, unfortunately, passed away.”
“Senator Duffy raised the Love 30 km/h campaign by Culleens National School in Mayo and spoke about the benefits of the safe routes to school programmes, reduced speed limits and the investment in relation to this. Roads programme funding was announced today. I hope there is scope within that for additional safety works at Culleens National School. I acknowledge the Senator's advocacy on this issue. Senator Clonan gave an impassioned speech regarding disability and the cancellation of spinal surgeries, with some 500 cancelled in the past four years. From the reports, I understand there were a number of reasons, for example, issues with children getting sick, emergency cases taking priority, clinical decisions or personal, parental and guardian reasons. During the pandemic, 15% of cancellations were due to Covid.”
“No further letters on SNA review outcomes will issue until these engagements have concluded in the coming weeks. I welcome that, as have Members. We look forward what comes from this. We all know the importance of special needs assistants and the work they do in our schools. Senator O'Loughlin also raised the issue of women working on building sites. We has a debate last week on apprenticeships with the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin. The Senator highlighted that up to 3,010 women are involved in apprenticeships, some in construction. She mentioned some of the issues they may have which need to be addressed. I will request a debate with the Minister for further and higher education, Deputy James Lawless, on that matter. The Senator also acknowledged the work of volunteers around the country and the work of Kildare Volunteer Centre.”
“I thank all Senators for their contributions, starting with Senator O'Loughlin, supported by Senators Tully, Scahill and Boyhan, who spoke on the pausing of the cuts to SNA numbers. The Minister has indicated that SNAs play a crucial role in our schools, that she knows what they mean to school communities, parents and the children they support, and that she has listened carefully to all of the issues raised by parents and school communities in recent days. She reiterates that there were no cuts to SNA numbers. She wants to ensure that SNAs are with the children who need care the most. To that end, she is pausing the review of SNA allocations. She, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach are engaging intensively to ensure all of the concerns raised are understood and children with special educational needs are fully supported.”
“if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, any other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 54, motion 1, Private Members' motion in the name of Fine Gael Senators regarding road safety, to be taken at 7.30 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, the Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude at 6 p.m. if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, any other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 6 p.m. and to conclude at 7.30 p.m.”
“The IFA has genuine issues with Bord Bia, which is separate to the matter about which people are protesting. Senator Mullen raised the case of Seamus Culleton and the tough new rules applying to deportations by ICE in the United States. Mr. Culleton is married to a US citizen but was still taken in and is being held by ICE. The Taoiseach has stated that he will raise the matter with Donald Trump. I am sure there are ongoing diplomatic efforts by the embassies and consulates in Texas and elsewhere to see that he is released. I certainly hope that happens soon.”
“There is a vote in the other House on Private Members' business today. I hope that motion will be defeated. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, has invited all farming stakeholders to discussions on this matter on Friday. This can only be resolved with dialogue. I concur with the comment on the occupation of the Bord Bia offices. I do not believe this is productive or helpful if we want to encourage people to take up positions as chairs of boards. I have seen reports that Mr. Murrin is in charge of Bord Bia. He is not; he is the chair of the board. There is a CEO and whatever else in Bord Bia. As I said, he agreed to come before the committee. It was a grilling and he answered questions. It is now important that the vote is defeated, which I am sure it will be, and that there is dialogue and engagement.”
“The Taoiseach has indicated a permanent payment will be looked at in the 2027 budget and that an announcement on how a cost-of-disability payment might look will be made in the first half of this year. The Government is looking at something to ensure there is a permanent basis for this rather than the one-off payments that have been made, as the removal of one-off payments causes concern. I acknowledge the change regarding the increases in the fuel allowance and the maintenance of the reduced VAT rate for gas and electricity. Senator McDowell defended the chair of the Bord Bia, Larry Murrin, and said he had the confidence of the board of Bord Bia. The Senator spoke about his appearance at the meeting of the agriculture committee last week and the rolling occupation of the Bord Bia offices.”
“He may wish to table a Commencement debate on this particular issue. I know he has mentioned a particular family and the issue was also raised in the other House. He may wish to pursue this with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. Senator Brady called on the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, to visit Longford town and County Longford in general due to recent incidents of people in their 20s and 30s who have been stabbed in Longford town. I send my sympathies to them and their families. The Senator may wish to raise the matter of Garda numbers in Longford. He may also wish to write directly to the Minister to invite him to visit Longford to meet gardaí. Senator Sarah O'Reilly called for an emergency payment for those with a disability.”
“Once the package is received in the Department, I am sure he will engage with it on additional funding and some sort of stimulus package or one-off funding. Senator Andrews raised the noble request to Dublin City Council for Dublin to become an autism-friendly city and the work of Councillor Kourtney Kenny on behalf of neurodiverse communities and child diagnosis of disability. Senator Andrews also spoke about the delay for 16-year-olds who applied for progression to disability payments and called for the Minister to come to the House. I will request an update from the Minister on this. Senator McCarthy raised concerns regarding familicide, co-parenting rights and the protection of children where information is not provided to both partners, especially where there is suicidal ideation.”
“Senator Scahill may wish to reference this directly with the Ministers, Deputies Naughton and Carroll MacNeill. Senator Keoghan expressed her outrage at EU interference in elections and spoke about ideological policing. If there are concerns about election interference in this country, she may wish to engage with the Electoral Commission, which is now charged with running elections in this country. She may also wish to engage with the committee on local government. Senator Cathal Byrne called for one-off emergency funding for Enniscorthy and Wexford following the deluge in recent weeks. He spoke about five bridges being washed away previously and how funding had been provided. I concur with this.”
“He said that while 167 gardaí attested, there were disproportionately higher levels in Dublin, and that if the same proportion were to be allocated to Cork, there should be 18 to 19 gardaí allocated there. As I have said previously, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for Garda allocations, but there is likely to be engagement with the Minister as well, so the Senator may wish to raise directly with him the issue of Garda numbers in Cork. Senator Scahill raised the issue of women's menstrual and reproductive health, particularly of school-going teenagers. This follows surveys done at the Young Scientist exhibition by a number of teenage girls. He has called for education on this and support. I suspect this starts in the home but it is also in the educational setting through social, personal and health education, SPHE, in schools.”
“There is a move towards cremations now and a grant for local and community groups to build attractive walls and settings in graveyards and cemeteries would be welcome. Perhaps Senator Duffy might wish to table a Commencement matter with the Department and the Minister for the environment on this matter. Senator Stephenson raised issues regarding the high evidential threshold for consent and stated that the level of sexual offences in this country versus that in the EU was much higher. She mentioned that a sexual offences Bill was being worked on. I look forward to the Bill coming through the House. I am sure she will be proactive in her engagement on it. D’ardaigh an Seanadóir Kelleher na gardaí i gCorcaigh agus dúirt sé nach bhfuil a ndóthain gardaí ar fáil ann. I acknowledge his raising of the issue of Garda numbers in Cork.”